Amaru

Super cute vibe!

Friendliest staff, fun drinks (if you like rum or tequila)

I got the sweet plantains and they were PERFECT. So so yummy. I went by myself and sat at the bar and felt so comfortable and welcome.

I've been wanting to try Amaru for a while and so stopped by around their happy hour to try some food. The happy hour prices are such a good deal - if you want to get some of their food and drinks, I absolutely recommend it because the prices are like half off. The service was also very friendly and lovely when we were there. It's also cute inside so solid place for a date or cute friend hang.

Onto the food - we ordered the piononos, requeson, lion's mane mushroom mole, and the Cuban frita burger. I would say we both liked the apps (the piononos and requeson) the best and in that order. Plantains and bread are delicious and they do a fun job with it. The lion's mane mushroom mole was interesting and fun to try as well. The cuban frita burger was the least exciting to us because we have both had much better versions of this burger (for cheaper, in Miami lol where they are delicious) but still solid. Generally, I would say it was fun trying their food but nothing was Amazingly delicious to me in a way that stood out or would make me want to order the same items. They changed their menu recently and took off stuff I had been wanting to try, so it might be a while until I come back. But a fun meal experience, even if not outstanding.

Honestly, I loved everything that I got from here. The pan latin flavors and quaint eating space make this a unique and must-try restaurant in Chicago. The stand-out dish we got was definitely the pulpo a la plancha (octopus). Now I'm not one that typically enjoys octopus, as it can easily be overcooked and become rubbery. But this octopus was cooked perfectly. It melted in your mouth.

The other dishes we got were also very good and extremely flavorful. We got the empanadas and plantains, which are both great vegetarian options. We also tried the jerk pollo which was cooked perfectly. The chicken was not dry at all, though I wouldn't say it tasted like jerk seasoning (maybe more bbq?). To end the night, we tried the espresso tres leches at our waiters recommendation. The cake itself was not as soft as I would have expected. But the flavor combination was exquisite with the abuelita chocolate on the bottom. Pro tip: take home the espresso tres leches and heat it up! It gets nice and soft and soaks up all the chocolate at the bottom... so good!

Amaru offers a diverse selection of Pan-Latin bites and well-crafted cocktails. The dishes are flavorful and the cocktails are expertly mixed. The service was pleasant and attentive. It's a solid choice for those looking to explore Latin American cuisine in a relaxed setting.

Good food and good service overall but the overall flavors left a tad bit more to be desired to give it 5 stars. We got their mojito, the ceviche, the octopus, the branzino and tres leche for dessert.

I certainly recommend it for a low key weekday night out or dinner before a weekend of staying out.

I have walked past the street where Amaru is located multiple times in the past but never really noticed this cute Latin eatery. We were on a food and bar crawl experience and my friend selected Amaru for main courses and drinks. We all absolutely loved our drinks! Their key highlight is surely Holy water, it is also quite dramatic with all fire and ice! My friend and I tried the After me drink which had banana liqueur and expresso infused vermouth. It was just perfect! For apps we tried Yucca fritters, sweet plantains and coconut fried rice (it contains egg, but you can choose to remove the egg) For vegetarian main course we tried Mole Y Leon which was a mushroom based dish and it was VERY flavorful. My personal favorite!
I wish they had more vegetarian/ vegan options. I will go back for the mushroom dish and try out more cocktails! It is a must visit if you like pan latin cuisine!

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Amaru. From the moment we walked in, we were met with warm hospitality. Because we were seated at the kitchen bar, we had the privilege of watching all the food being prepared. Every dish looked tantalizing but alas we were only two people with limited stomach space...
I especially enjoyed the yucca fries, heirloom beet salad, and lion's mane mole. I didn't like the fish empanadas but that might be personal preference. With bright flavors and fresh ingredients, the dishes were right up my alley. Would recommend this restaurant if you're in the area!

Overall Thoughts: I went to Amaru for 2024 Restaurant Week, and it had lovely vibes, solid food, and friendly service all around. My friends and I got the cheaper $42 dinner option and felt the value was good-- we were stuffed and satisfied afterwards. Out of all 3 courses, the dessert was definitely the weakest, but I really enjoyed the other two courses!

- Course 1: Requeson (4.6/5): The soft cheese was delicious; it was creamy and slightly sweet, pairing nicely with the slightly spiced salsa.

- Course 2: Mole Y Leon (4.5/5): This was my first time having lion's mane mushroom, and it was great! The texture was stringy and chewy, and the seared flavors were strong. The yuca was crispy and tasty, and the mole was rich and earthy.

- Course 3- Espresso Tres Leches (4/5): Definitely lacking relative to the other two dishes; the cake wasn't moist enough in my opinion, and the flavor was kind of monotonous.
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Price (relative to peers): 4.2/5
Food: 4.4/5
Ambience: 4.9/5
Service: 5/5
Overall Value: 4.5/5

Stopped in on a Saturday around 530pm before a 715 show at the den theater. They only had bar seats available so we grabbed those. The drinks were very creative and delicious. The service for the drinks was a little slow as only one of the bartenders seemed to be doing much. She was very pleasant and helpful with the menu while her partner was mostly standing around. We both got the burger, which was exquisite! The party was perfectly cooked and the flavors were delicious. We did both thing the shoestring fries would be on the side instead of a couple inside the burger, but overall we really enjoyed the meal and were out in time to make it to the show on time.

Honest review incoming!! Spent our Friday this weekend in Wicker Park and hit Amaru since it's been on our list. The drinks were definitely awesome, recommend the espresso martini! The food was tasty and came out fast but I wouldn't come running back for some things. Plantains were a highlight and so was the jerk chicken (not pictured, phone didn't eat first on this one!!) Ceviche was fresh as well. However, portions were definitely small BUT! everything is very fairly priced and we were pleasantly surprised when the bill came. Overall would come back for appetizers and drinks! Will likely try some other hot Wicker spots first, though.